Railway-track construction



'Sept. 24, 1929. DIEHL 'RAILWAY TRACK CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fild April 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fizvenz ar/ Sept. 24, 1929. H. H. DIEHL RAILWAY TRACK CONSTRUCTION Filed April 50, 1928 Patented Sept. 7 24, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE HERMAN H. DIEI-IL, F HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WEST VIRGINIA RAIL COMPANY, OF HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA My invention relates more particularly to the switch equipped portion of railway track construction and more especially to construetions wherein the switches are provided as portable structures for assembly with a main track at any desired point thereon suchconstructions being of particular utility in railway track installations in mines.

()ne of my objects is to provide a novel, simple, and relatively inexpensive construction of switch mechanism which may be quickly applied to the rails of a main track at any desirable location thereon and repositioned in different locations as desired, without disturbing the position of the main rails and the continuity thereof.

Another object is to provide in a switch construction, of the general character above referred to, and in which the wheels upon engaging the switch track are raised to clear the main rail on the turnout side, against derailment of thewheels in passing from the main track onto the switch track and travelling along the latter.

Another object is to provide'in a switch construction of the character above stated, a frog device forming a part of the switch structure at the main rail on the turnout side which may be quickly assembled with the main rail and disassembled therefrom, and when assembled therewith be rigidly held in place on the main rail. 7

Another object is to provide a switch structure the portion of which at the turnout side of the main track is so constructed that the wheels of a car in passing along the switch track will be properly guided against derailmient and in passing along. the switch track and over the main rail at the turnout side will be subjected to the minimum of jarring action.

Another object is to provide a switch structure of the character above referred to which shall be so constructed that cars provided with wheels having broad flat treads or cars provided with caterpillar tractor bars may move along the main track without obstruction from the cross-over portion of the switch track.

Another object is to provide a frog, as a Application filed April 30,

part of the switch structure, of such form that clips of the same form and size as those used for holding the rail portions of the switch structure to the ties may be used for securing the frog in place on the ties of the switch, thereby avoiding the necessity of providing different means for securing the frog in position; and other objects as will be manifest from the following description.

Referring to the accompanying draw- 1ngs:--

Figure 1 is a plan view of a track layout provided with a switch track embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section taken at the line 22* on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 2 is a broken view in side elevation of a portion of the track structure at one of the switch terminals. l v V Figure '3 is a plan view of one of the sections of a jumper frog forming a part of the structure of Fig. 1, the main rail andone of the switch rails being shown, by dotted lines, assembled therewith.

Figure 4 is a similar view of another section of the frog showing by dotted lines, the switch rail connected therewith.

. Figure 5 is a broken enlarged sectional view taken at the line 5 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken at the line 6 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. 3

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken at the line 7 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Figure8 is a sectional view taken at the line 8 on Fig. 1 andviewed in the direction of the arrow; and

Figure 9, an enlarged, broken, sectional view taken at the line 9 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

The switch trackbomprises the rails 12 and 13, the ra1l12 comprising the terminal by a connecting bar 18 through the medium of which they may be'swung into and out et switchingpositi'on, as by means of switch throwing mechanism represented at 19and which may be of any desirable construction, these terminal rail sections'bein'g supported in any desirable way at the ends thereof opposite their terminal portions'tdpermit of their movement into the out "of switching position; M I

' The rail sections 14 and 16, by way'of ex ample, andpreferably, areof the same cross sectionalfsh'ape as'tlie ordinary 'railwa rail with-their terminal portions slightlydel ected --latera:lly as 'slio'wn'at' '20 and 21, respectively, and machined along'th eir sides and with their heads undercut'to'lieflatwiseagainst the sides of the main rails and 11 and overliethc tread portions of these main rails. "-"Th'e switchst'ructiure"also comprises a free; represented generally at 22 and interposed 1 in the 'spac'ebtween the rail sections 15 and -16, and a guard railsecti'on'23 located at the inner side of, and in spacedrelation to, the railsection' 17 directly, opposite the "frog 22.

It'may be here' sta'tcd' that the frog'22 is of such construction that pthe bear'in'g" surface provided. thereby for "the wheels'inpassing over'it extends at such an elevation as to avoid grooving'the main rail ll -at' the frogr'or Otl'lGTWlSe providing forrthe' reception of the fla ges of the wheels. 7

In accordance with-: i'ny inventiontherail sections of the switch structure,are supported to cause the upperisurfaces of" the terminal portlions 20rand 21 'ofthe rails 14 and IG t0 inclineiupwardly toward the right in Fig. 1, the incline being'such that the wheels of a car moving to the right in-this figure along the switch track, will be raised sufficiently to ensure clearing of-the 'mainrailll :by the flanges;o1i'tl1e Wheels and these 'flan resa'vill likewise clear tlieunainurail 11 inthe movement of the car fl'OIlLthGSWltCll track onto the main track. a

- In accordance with the" preferred embodis ment of my invention opposed portions of the rails '12 and 13, preferably throughouttheir length, extend-t0 theisame height.-+In"other words, the inclined upper surfaces: of the terminal portions 'ofthe rail sections lf and 16 ha-ve'the same inclination and. theremainin'g portions of: the rail structure of the switch extend at the same height at portions thereof at opposite sides of the switch. Thus a carfin passingfrom the main railsontoand along thesWitchtrack-is maintained in horizontal position in a direction crosswise of the track, as distinguished from a condition in which the car is tilted to one side or the other, this being a desirable feature as it minimizes the possibility of derailment of the car.

H To support thefrails-in the elevated position referred to I provide between these rails and ties represented at 24 and located below the railsfpillowblbcks '25 secured to the tie's'fin any desirable manner-as forfegamplefbyspik 1n them thereto. In the arrangementshown the'rail sections 15 and 17 only partially overlap the blocks -25 at the ends of these rail sections remote from the frog 22 and guard rail'=23, the outwardly turned ends ofr'th rail sections 14 and 16 bearing upon-theseblocks.

' The pivotalconnectionof the rail sections 1% and 16 at the ends thereo-fust referredto,

and hereinbcfo're' mentioned, may be effected 1 -1n any desirable :way'as for eXan'i-ple by pro vlding plates 26 located at opposite sides of the webs of the rail sections15 and 17, these plates being secured-to these TilllySQClZl-ODS by bolts 27 and extending beyond the latter to receive-theweb portions ofthe; adjacent ends of the rail sections '14 and- 16 which are loosely 7 connected with these plates as by bolts-28,i per mitting of the desired swinging movement of these rail sect-ion's.- The frog 22-comprisesi two main sections represented at 29 and 30 and locatedatopposite sides of the main rail 11.; "The frog section" 29 is provided at its opposite lateral edges withflanges 31, and32 to receive anchorires lug 35 in line with the rail section 16,]thew upper-surface of this lug at the end thereof which opposes the end --of the rail'sec-tion '16 being flush -with the upper surface' of the latter and inclining downwardly toward the main rail -11-.- j i 1 W i V The frog section 29-which conformingly fits the" side of th-e main rail ll 'lisj provided with flanges 31'and32 and Withan angulaily fdisposedve'xtension '36 substantially U s' ha-pe 'in cross *sectlon, this yokefp'ortion extending beneath, and to a position between, the main rails 10 and11 "and presenting an upwardly opening recess 37 into? which the main rail 11 extends. i

-The frog section 30 is recessed at the-E'end thereof remote from? the main "rail 11, as explained fortheaafrogsectionz 29,lto'receive;and support therail section 1.5 held'in place by a bolt like the bolt 34, this frog sectionJ-lalso beingwprovidedi with an upwardly; extending lug 38 like the lug to form a continuation of the rail section 15 with its downwardly tapering surface extending toward the main rail 11, the section 30 having flanges 3G and 30 like the flanges 31 and 32 of section 29.

The frog section 30 also comprises an angularly disposed extension 39 which extends along the inner side of the main rail 11 and into the recess 37 wherein it is disposed between this rail and the upwardly extending arm portion 10 of the yoke extension of the frog section 29.

The side of the extension 39 opposing the rail 11 is shaped to conform to the latter and its upper surface contains a whoel-flange-receiving groove 41.

The sections 29 and 30 of the frog and the rail 11 are rigidly secured together by means of a wedge bar 12 driven into the space between the extension .39 and the arm 10, the surfaces of the extension 39 and the arm 10 which are engaged by the wedge 42 being preferably recessed, as represented at 43 and 4 1, respectively, to receive the wedge, the inner surface of the arm preferably inclining as represented more particularly in Fig. 3 to correspond with the inclination of the wedge.

The switch construction shown provides for the rolling of the wheels when opposite the space between the lugs 35 and of the frog at their flange portions upon the upper surface of the frog in which movement the guard rail 23 prevents lateral displacement of the wheels ensuring the re-engagement of the tread portions of the wheels with the switch rail at the end of the frog and ensuring against accidental derailment, it being understood from the foregoing description that as a car moves from the left in Fig. 1 toward the frog, the weight of the car is transferred from the treads of the wheels at the frog side of the switch, as they leave the lug 38, to the flanges of the Wheels as they pass over the frog and the intersecting rail 11, the weight of the car thereafter being transferred to the treads of the wheels as they ride upon the lug 35.

The arrangement of the parts just described is such that the transfer of the weight from the tread of the wheel to the flange thereof is effected smoothly and with the minimum jar, the upper wheel-flange-engaging bearing surface of the frog being at substantially the same elevation as the upper surface of the tread of the rail 11, the depth of the frog sections being such, as shown, that in resting directly upon the ties 24: beneath them, the wheel-fiange-engaging bearing surface of the frog extends to the elevation stated. 7

The various rails of the structure, including the main track, are shown as secured in position by a stop clip at one side of the rail and a rotatable clip at the opposite side thereof. These stop clips represented at 4:5 are construction for all of the rails and in addition for the frog sections, made possible by reason of the fianging of the frog sections at 31 and 32. This is very desirable inasmuch as it avoids the necessity of providing a multiplicity of forms and sizes of abutments and clips for use at different parts of the structure with consequent expense and loss of time in applying them to position. a

The lugs 35 and 38 are preferably widely spaced as shown to permit, without interference, of the passage along the main track of a car provided with broad flat treads or with caterpillar tractor bars.

lVhile I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto, as the same may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new, and by Letters Patent, is:

1. A jumper frog formed of sections one of which contains an upwardly-opening recess to receive a rail and the other of which isprodesire to secure videdwith an angularly-disposed extension lying within said recess and alongside of the railtherein, and means for rigidly holding together said sections and rail. 7

2. A jumper frog formed of sections one of which contains an upwardly-opening recess to receive a rail and the other of which is provided with an angularly-disposed extension lying within said recess and alongside of the rail therein, and a wedge in the space between the outer side of said extension and the adjacent wall of said recess for holding together said sections and rails.

3. A jumper frog formed of sections one of which contains an upwardly-opening recess to receive a rail and the other of which is provided with an angularly-disposed extension lying within said recess and alongside of the rail therein and containing a groove in its upper surface to receive the flange of a wheel passing through the frog, and means for rigidly holding together said sections and rails.

4. In combination, a main track, a switch track, one of the rails of which is formed of spaced apart sections and extends crosswise of one of the rails of said main track, a-

jumper frog interposed between said rail sections and having upwardly extending treadengaging projections at opposite sides of said main track rail, the upper surfaces of which incline downwardly toward each other, the

upper surface of said frog between said projections being in a plane not below the upper surface of said main track rail, said switch rail sections extending in alignment with said projections.

5. In combination, a main track, a switch track one of the rails of which is formed of .per surfaces of which incline'downwardly toward each other the upper surface of said frog between said projections being in substantially the same horizontal plane as the upper surface of said main track rail, said switch rail: sections extending inalignment with said projections.

- 6. In combination, amain track, a switch track one of the rails of which is formed of spaced apart sections and extends crosswise of one of the rails of said main track, a jumper frog interposed between said rail sections and 7 having upwardly extending tread-engaging portions at opposite sides of said track rail the upper surfaces of Which incline downwardly toward each other, said frog present ing at opposite sides ofsaid track rail and between the latter and said projections, surfaces along which the flanges of the wheels travel.

HERMAN H. DlEHL. 

